1. Field of the Invention
The present invention in general relates to an apparatus for ground fault current interrupter, in particular, to an apparatus for ground fault current interrupter with overall end-of-life indication and shutdown protection function.
2. Description of Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is an embodiment block diagram of a ground fault current interrupter according to prior arts. The name and working principle of each part are described below (which is applied to a load 50A):
Current leakage sensing circuit 20A: detecting current leakage of electrical equipment.
Control circuit 30A: accepting output signal of the leakage sensing circuit 20A, after a corresponding treatment, controlling on/off of a current interrupter 60A (described later) and off of a current leakage indicator.
Power supply circuit 40A: converting AC power into smooth DC power, which is then supplied to the current leakage sensing circuit 20A, the control circuit 30A and the current interrupter 60A, to make them work properly.
Current interrupter 60A: receiving output signal of the control circuit 30A, and correspondingly controlling connection and interrupt of electrical equipment and power supply.
Test Circuit 70A: capable of testing if the ground fault current interrupter can normally provide current leakage protection to electrical equipment and human body.
Re-set circuit 80A: after the ground fault current interrupter experiences gate-off due to current leakage fault or when the ground fault current interrupter is tested, the operation of the re-set circuit 80A can quickly re-close the ground fault current interrupter.
The aforementioned ground fault current interrupter according to prior arts can cut off AC power during the formation of current leakage, such that electrical equipment can prevent damage and ensure the safety of users. However, if its internal circuit is damaged (for example, silicon-controlled rectifier or integrated circuits or the current leakage sensing circuit 20A or the current interrupter 60A is damaged), it will be unable to achieve a cut off mission for the AC power during the formation of current leakage. Therefore, if we can increase operational normality of each important circuit in the ground fault current interrupter of prior arts under a condition that the increased overall protection circuit and warning function won't affect the own function of the ground fault current interrupter, the practicability of the ground fault current interrupter will be enhanced significantly.
Accordingly, after a substantially devoted study, in cooperation with the application of relative academic principles, the inventor has finally proposed the present invention designed reasonably to possess the capability to improve the drawbacks of the prior arts significantly.